Safety snap hook



`Allg. 6, 1935. W SMlTH 2,010,277

SAFETY SNAP. HOOK Filed Oct. l, 1934 Il -E-s@ r 22 Azo Patented Aug. 6, 1935 OFFICE SAFETY SNAP, HOOK Willard L; Sinitli,'Venice, Calif.

ApplicatonfOctober 1;

6 Claims.

My invention relates to a safety snap'hookand the construction herein .disclosed is an improvement on thesnap hook formingthefsubject` matter ofy U. S.1Letters Patent No.` 1,240,381 lissued to me'September 18, 1917.

1 manipulation in both opening and closing movements.

Withthe foregoing and Vother objects in View my invention consists in certain -novelfeatures ofconstruction and arrangements of parts that will A be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and villustrated in the accompanying drawing inz which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a safety snap hook constructed inaccordance withlmy invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the Fig: 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2-.

Fig. 4 is an enl-arged cross `section taken on the line 4-4 'OfFig. 2.

Figs5 is a plan view of amodied form of the hook.

Fig. (iis a longitudinal view taken on the line G-G'of Fig. 5.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing and particularly to the form of hook illustrated in Figs. l to 4 inclusive, Il) designates a short substantially cylindrical shank I0 of metal, `upon one end of whichis swiveled a ring I I.

Rigidly secured to the forward end of shank IU and vprojecting forwardly therefrom, is a tubular member I2 vthat forms the rearportion of the body of the hook.

Formed integral withfand projecting forwardly from the lower portion of tubular body I2,is a rib I3 that forms the backbone of the hook and imparting to the latter the necessary strength;

The forward end ofthe tubular `body is closed by lan integral wall I4 thatY merges with the upper sur-face of the rib I.v

Formed integral with the forward Vend of rib I3 on top thereof, is arearwardly presented hook I5; the rear-end'of which is spaced apart from the wall I4 at the forward end of body I2. The space between the horizontal portion of hook I5 and the upper face of rib I3 in front of wall I4 1934; serial No. '746,333 l is adapted to receive a ring hocker other member towhich the `snap lhookfis applied.

Formed through the wall of tubular body I2, between front wall I4 and the forward end of shankL I0, are-horizontally disposed slots I6 that are-shaped somewhat similar to ordinary keyholes;A that `is,- each slot comprises a horizontally disposed portion of -uniiormwidth and in the forwardA end thereofis formed a circular opening such as II, the diameter of which is greater than the width of slot I6.

Mounted tofslide freelyupon the tubular body I2,fis a sleevel IBfof metal and formed integral with the lower portion thereof, is a housing I9 that extends ybeneath rib I3.

Formedin the `forward portion of this sleeve is a notch v-20 Tthat extends downwardly on the sides of said sleeve to the upper edges of the-side walls of the housing I 9 rvand the formation of this notch provides aV4 short sleeve 2| that norm-ally surroundsl the forward portion of hook I5 `and the forward portion of rib I3.

Formed through the sides of sleeve i8, are horizontally disposed apertures 22 i and surrounding'same on the outer face of the sleeve, are integral `collars or flanges 23.

Arranged to slide freely through the apertures 22",4 are'short horizontally disposed pins 24,the diameter of which is such that they willV readily pass through the slots I6 in body I2 and secured tothe inner ends of these pins are circular discs 25 thatareadapted to enter the enlarged forward ends- I1 tof the keyhole shaped openings.

Interposed betweenthe discs 25,` is a small expansive coil spring 26:

Whenla ring or the like is engaged in the hook I5 at the `forward end of the device and the sleeve I8 vis'at itsforward limit of movement, the forwardend of the-upperportion of the body of the sleeve overlies the opening between the hook I5 andfwall I4;j thereby securing-the ring or other member'against removal fromA the hook.

The sleeve is secured in its forward position as a4 result Aofy the engagement of discs 25 in the enlarged forward ends II of the keyhole openings I6 and obviously the sleeve cannot be moved rearward to permit the engaged ring to be removed fromthe hook unless both pins 24 carrying disc 25'are pressed inward by pressure of the thumb and finger and when this is done the discs are removed fromA the enlarged forward ends of the keyhole openings and the sleeve may now be moved rearwardly on tubular body I2 until the notch 20 coincides with the opening between the hook I5'and wall I4;-

With the parts so'positioned the ring or other memberA engaged yby the hook: may be readily removed and when the hook is again applied to a ring or the like if it is desired to move the sleeve forward to close the hook, it is only nec- In Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated a :modified form of hook that may be utilized in the production of the smaller and cheaper forms of safety snap hooks and in this construction, a loop or ring 3B is formed integral with the rear end of a tubular body 3l.

Formed in the upper forward portion of the tubular body, is a downwardly and forwardly extending notch 32 that provides a rearwardly presented notch S3 at the forward end of said body. Mounted to slide freely on the tubular body 3l is a sleeve 311 in the forward portion of which is formed a downwardly extending notch 35, which when the sleeve is moved rearwardly, coincides with the upper end of notch 32, so as to permit a ring or the like to be inserted in said last mentioned notch below the hook 33.

Formed in the sides of tubular body 3l, are horizontally disposed keyhole shaped slots or openings 36, the enlarged forward ends thereof^ being adapted to receive discs 3l that are carried on the inner ends of pins 38. These pins are arranged to slide through openings in the sides of sleeve Sil and interposed between the discs 3l, is an expansion coil spring 3S.

The operation incident to the engagement and release of a ring. or the like from the hook at the forward end of the device is practically the same as the operations hereinbefore described in connection with the form of hook illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

An especially desirable feature of my invention is, that the sleeve is positively secured when at its forward limit of movement or while it is in position to'retain the engaged ring in the hook, for in order to permit the sleeve to move rearwardly so that the engaged ring may be removed from the hook, it is necessary to push both disc carrying pins inward so that said discs are entirely removed from the enlarged ends of the keyhole shaped openings before the sleeve is released.

As a result of this arrangement, it is practically impossible for an animal that is tethered by a exible member that includes the snap hook to open the hook by pressing the same against the ground or part of a building or other stationary object.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a safety snap hook that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved safety snap hook may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A snap hook, comprising a body provided at its forward end with a hook, a sleeve mounted for sliding movement on said body and provided in its forward portion with a notch that is adapted to register with the opening of the said hook and a pair of independent operable latches carried by said sleeve and cooperating with said body to secure said sleeve at the forward end of its movement upon said body.

2. In a snap hook, a body provided at its forward end with a hook, a sleeve mounted for sliding movement on said body and provided in its 'forward portion with a notch that is adapted to register with the opening into said hook, said body having a slot, one end of which is enlarged, a pin arranged for sliding movement through the wall of said sleeve, the inner end of which pin is enlarged for engagement in the enlarged end of said slot and a spring for yieldingly resisting the inward movement of said pin.

3. In a snap hook, a body provided at its forward end with a hook, a sleeve mounted for sliding movement on said body and provided in its forward portion with a notch that is adapted to register with the opening into said hook, said body having a slot, one end of which is enlarged, a pin arranged for sliding movement through the wall of said sleeve, the inner end of which pin is enlarged for engagement in the enlarged end of said slot, a spring for yieldingly resisting the inward movement of said ypin and a flange formed on the outer face of the sleeve around the opening that is occupied by said pin.

4. In a snap hook, a body provided at its forward end with a hook, a sleeve mounted for sliding movement on said body and provided with a notch that is adapted to register with the opening into said hook, the sides of said body being provided with longitudinally -disposed slots, the forward ends of which slots are enlarged, pins arranged Vfor sliding movement through openings in the sides of said sleeves, discs on the inner ends of said pins, which discs are adapted to occupy the enlarged openings at the forward ends of said slots and an expansive spring arranged between said discs.

9. In a snap hook, a body provided at its forward end with a hook, a sleeve mounted for sliding movement on said body and provided with a f notch that is adapted to register with the opening into sai-d hook, the sides of said body being provided with longitudinally disposed slots, the forward ends of which slots are enlarged, pins arranged for sliding movement through openings in the sides of said sleeves, discs on the inner ends of said pins, which discs are adapted to occupy the enlarged openings at the forward ends of said slots, an expansive spring arranged between said discs and flanges formed on th-e outer face of said sleeve around the openings that are occupied by said pins.

6. In a snap hook, a body, a hook formed on the forward end thereof, a reenforcing rib formed integral with and connecting said body and hook, a sleeve mounted for sliding movement on said body and rib, said sleeve having a notch that is adapted to coincide with the opening into said hook, said body provided with a longitudinally disposed slot, the forward end of which is en larged, a pin arranged for sliding movement through the wall of the sleeve, the inner end of which pin is enlarged for engagement in the errlarged end of the slot and a spring for yi-eldingly resisting the inward movement of said pin.

WILLARD L. SMITH. 

